Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-30
WAsHlNGTCN'S STATE DINNER.
A solemn Scene at Which the Father 81
His Country Presided.


Times change and dinners Chnncc with
them, ss was seen by comHarirg-sIr az
counts OF President Cleveland last state
! ,tirs"~ -.lth Que given Ly President Wash
ingtoa. have copied 1t from Che maIu
script diary kept by William NaclIy, a
senator from thc state "f Pennsylvania in
Inc first Federal congress. He was the
original 'obiecior" AMI he made himself
very grecahic to President Washing
ton and his supporters One day after
Was' 'iH1tCn lad met the senate he saws:
Il was called out by the doorkeepcr TO
slcal. Ia Col HUMPHREYS. Ii was To in.
vitc me to dinner with the president on
Thursday EeXt ut ! o'clock. / really was
surprised at the invita;ion 1; will he my
duty to SO; however, / will make no in
ferences whatever. am convinced ali
the dimes he can now give, or ever
could. Will make no difference in my con
duct. Then we have his account Of the
dinner:
The president and Mrs. Washington
sat opposite oItI other in the middle of
the table; the two secretaries, one at each
end. II was great dinner. and the best
Of the kind ever | was at First was
soup; fish, roasted and boiled: meats.
CANNON, fowls. etc. The middle Of the
table WAS garnished in the usual tasty
way with small images, artificial flowers,
etc. The dessert WAS, first, apple pies.
puddings, etc; then iced creams. jellies,
etc. then watermeions. muskmelons,
apples, peaches, nuts. 1t was the most
solemn dinner ever sal at. Not health
drunk. scarce word SAID until the cloth
was taken away. Then the president,
taking glass Of wine with great formal
ity, drank To the hearth of every irdivid-
ual by name round the table. Everybody
initiated him, charged glasses. and such
buzz Of health. sir, and health. madam
and thank you, sir, and thank you,
madam, never had | heard before In
deed | had like To have been thrown out
III the hurry; but got little wine in my
glass ana passed the ceremony"
Mr. Maclay goes on 10 tell us that the
ladies sat 4 good while and the bottles
passed about, but there was IA dead silence
almost. Mrs Washington at last with
drew with the ladies. expected the men
would now begin, but the same stiffness
remained. The president told Of a New
England Clergyman who had lost II hat
and wig in passing IA river called the
Brunks. He smiled, and everybody
laughed. He now and then said sen
tence or two ON some common subject and
what he said was not amiss. There YVES
Mr.. Smith. who mentioned how Homer
described I.neas rs leaving his wife and
carrying his father out of flaming Troy
lie had heard somebody q supposel witty
Un the occasion; but if he had ever read il
he would have said Virgil. III does not
appear tlat Washington, Adams, Jay or
any a her Of the magnates present detected
the blundcrl The president kept a fork
in his hand when the cloth was taken
away. thought for tie purpose If pick
Ing nuts. He ate no nutS, but played
with the fork, striking ON the edge Of the
table with 1t. We did not sit long after
he ladies retired. The president rose.
went up stairs TO drink coffee. the con-
puny followed | took my hat and CuG,
home. Ben. Perle, Poore